Joe Smith and Ben Wallace

Post #1 » by **HMFFL** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:52 pm

Who said the Hawks were done chasing big men this summer?

You didn’t hear it around these parts, at least not officially (from me).

Barring a last minute change of plans, veteran big man Joe Smith is scheduled to visit town on Wednesday, according to two of my best spies. And the Hawks are not out of the running for Ben Wallace, who has yet to agree to terms with Detroit (though, one of my best spies up north insists that it’s just a matter of time before Wallace returns to the Pistons). Link

BMF Jet Jaguar · Post #2 » by **BMF Jet Jaguar** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:35 pm

did ya know hakeem warrick was a FA..GET THIS MAN A CONTRACT SUND!!

BMF Jet Jaguar · Post #3 » by **BMF Jet Jaguar** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:51 pm

actually nevermind. Hes not the kinda big man we need. Id love to have both joe smith and ben wallace, even though theyre both washed up, still could provide good minutes

D21 · Post #4 » by **D21** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:07 am

But he's Restricted, Memphis will match any offer Hawks would make.
Ratliff can be added to these old guys list.

I am sure there won't be any move unless it's for minimum or nearly minimum, until Marvin is signed.
And even if he's signed, we can still have big room under the tax, if Marvin, Bibby and Zaza are ascending contract, which won't be, too avoid increasing total salaries for next year with the possibility of a Tax threshold at 65M.

If they are sure that any new players, even at 3M like Wilcox can't push ATL to be at least a conference Finals contender, why spend on them since the team can have the same results without these players.

Long Marvin contract case will be an excuse, "hey, we were not able to sign anybody until we knew Marvin numbers", but the reality is that there's only one possibility to improve enough to be a contender like BOS, CLE and ORL, and it's going in Luxury Tax.
But it makes some sense to be sure that your current core is ready for that first, and it's not a sure thing at this moment (sweep by CLE, with injuries, but what if no injury ?).

Sund added Crawford, who is not a financial risk (Speedy and Law were not playing for this money).
It should improve the team a little bit, and allow, if there is not injury, to see the real level of this core if they can go to conference semis.

If we are at 69.9M this season, just under the tax, and keep the same numbers for next year, with a 65M Tax threshold, it would make 67.5M total salaries (add 2.5M of tax).
With 67.5M next year, we won't be better than now, so they will have to go in Luxury Tax, or stay at the same level, with other teams behind ATL starting to make some pressure (WAS, MIA...)

We would certainly need to add someone like Brad Miller in 2010, for nearly the MLE to be near enough of ORL, BOS and CLE.
Actually, it would also need to add a MLE guy this year, and Brad Miller next year.
But only one, and we are already in Luxury Tax, this year, or next year.

FCNATL85 · Post #5 » by **FCNATL85** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:12 pm

Let's hope that we can sign Smith, get a back-up PG (Ivey?), resign Solo and we set to go

Bibby- Teague - Ivey or FA
JJ - Craw- (Akyol)
Marvin- Evans- (Hunter)
Smoove- Joe - Solo
Al - Zaza - Morris

compare to last year, one more year of experience for Smoothe- Marv- Al and Teague- Craw- Joe in place of Law- Flip- Solo, not a huge improvement but still should be a better team.

evildallas · Post #6 » by **evildallas** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 3:57 am

Joe Smith or Drew Gooden would be a good solid addition that Woody would actually play some minutes. I worry about Big Ben. The word prior to his buyout was that he was thinking retirement. I'm not sure his heart is it except maybe to return to Detroit.

D21 · Post #7 » by **D21** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:19 pm

In other Cavaliers-related news, veteran power forward Joe Smith was reportedly in Atlanta talking with Hawks officials, while Ben Wallace is rumored to be getting some interest from Detroit, the team with which he was four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
There’s a chance Smith, who was signed by the Cavaliers last season after he was bought out of his contract by Oklahoma City, could return to Cleveland if he doesn’t get a better offer elsewhere.
Wallace was traded to Phoenix as part of the deal that brought O’Neal to Cleveland. The Suns subsequently bought out the final year of Wallace’s contract, which would have paid him $14 million. Like Smith, he is now an unrestricted free agent.

Link

I have the feeling that he will not get a better offer elsewhere, especially from ATL

Smith will be another supposed F.A. in contact with ATL ending on other team.